Heavy rain overnight may have triggered a catastrophic collapse of a massive rubbish mound onto homes in the Dar‑es‑Salam area of Conakry, Guinean officials confirmed today. The disaster has killed at least 30 people and left 22 injured, including six with serious wounds, according to a state‑run statement.
Prime Minister Mamadou Oury Bah appeared at the scene to oversee rescue operations, and military units were called in to aid in the search for survivors. Local residents recount that the mound fell during the night, crushing residential structures and liquefying the area with debris.
One woman shared that all five of her children perished in the tragedy, underscoring the high human toll. Neighbourhood leaders warned that the death count could rise, as rescuers comb through shattered rubble with excavators, ventilating air‑filled cavities which may conceal more victims.
A local community liaison, Lancine Sylla, reported that 18 bodies had been retrieved and sent to the morgue, but the full scale of the disaster remains unclear. It is the third major collapse at the same waste site, the previous one in 2017 causing 10 fatalities.
Rescuers use an excavator to comb through a mountain of scattered rubbish at a major waste site in Conakry. AFP via Getty Images
